Sisters Love and Goodbyes

Why can't weekends be longer? Two days just isn't enough. Especially when they're spent visiting family.


A few days ago, Nicholas and I randomly decided we were going to go visit my sister, Leah, and her fiancé, Kyle.
It was bittersweet because this is the last time we'll see them before they move. (They move mid-June and our weekends are booked until then. Hence why we decided to go this weekend). I was spoiled having my sister only two hours away the two years we were in Pensacola. And now with us in Jax, they're only five hours away. Being away from my family is so incredibly hard for me, but having them close made it a little easier. 
But now, I won't have that. They're moving back to the Midwest. Kyle is being stationed at Ft. Riley in Kansas. They'll now be like every other family member whom we only see a few times a year. And I hate that.

Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful I've had her so close the past few years. We weren't always close when we were little (read: we hated each other) but when we entered our teenage years, we grew closer. Our three year difference didn't seem so drastic, and I stopped viewing her as that annoying little sister and instead as a best friend. And we've only grow closer over the years.

It doesn't hurt that our husbands have this weird bromance going on. They love sports, the St. Louis Cardinals, geek out all night long on video games, and they're both helicopter pilots (Kyle is an apache pilot in the Army.)

It was also bittersweet because while our girls had a blast, it'll be the last time they get to play like this for a very long time. Maybe ever.   Leah and Kyle have two female dogs and they're all four the best of friends. Yadi and Vino do not play and wrestle with anyone else like they do these two. It's adorable, comical, and sometimes annoying with the nonstop movement. But now, they'll only see each other at Christmas and my parents house is not as accommodating without a fenced yard for these four morons to run around together. Nonetheless, they were happy to see each other and had a blast. I mean, this was Yadi when she realized where we were going. Despite not being to their house since September, when we were about a mile away, she shot up and completely freaked out because she knew where she was and who she was about to see. 


We spent the weekend just hanging out and having fun. Leah and I ventured out Saturday for lunch at Cactus Flower, one of my favorite restaurants back in Florida.  When I heard she had one in Dothan, Alabama, I was all over it. 

After lunch, we headed to various stores to shop for decor for her wedding reception and also bridal shower necessities. (Her wedding is back home in St. Louis in November and I'm the MOH).  And I couldn't come to Dothan and not get Gigi's Cupcakes!  Seriously, look at this amazingness!!!

These were our selections:  Chocolate Turtle, Red Velvet, Triple Chocolate Torte, and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough!!!


Upon arriving home, we grilled out and then headed to the drive-in theater. I haven't done this since I was single digit age. But it was only $7 for TWO movies!!! How can you beat that?? So we headed there, with Nick pimping out, braving the storms, and saw first "A Million Ways to Die in the West" followed by "Neighbors". Both were a bit of a letdown. But it was a great experience!!!

Sunday was just a day to lounge around, make more definite plans for Leah's shower, and take some photos. They wanted family photos but Zoey was more interested in hunting for cats so it didn't go over well. I then took some of them in front of their house, their first house together. And some normal photos that clearly didn't turn out too normal.

And then they began being their normal weird selves and I continued to take photos

And I took a photographer as an excuse to some of us instead of timer and wireless remote photos. We got a few decent ones.

Then we said goodbye and it sucked. I'll see them both in June when I go home, which happens to be when they'll be stopping by for a few days on their way to Kansas. But it's sad knowing they aren't a short drive away, and these fun weekends with just the four of us, (six including the girls), won't exist anymore. I've greatly appreciated them the past few years but damn! I'm upset they've come to an end. Missing family is seriously the hardest part of this damn lifestyle.  I'm going to try to focus on the fact that I HAVE an amazing sister to miss so much and that she's found an equally amazing guy that we truly consider a brother.  All I have to say, Thank goodness for technology!!!!!


What did you all spend your weekends doing?  Anyone take a little weekend getaway as well?
For those that live away from family, how to cope best with the distance and homesickness??